Valkyria Chronicles: Special Operations
by GJO1088
Summary: The Advanced Recon Shock Troopers (ARST) nicknamed the "Night Wolves", a highly secret special operations unit whose existence is known to only a select few. Composed mostly of orphans trained since childhood with Darcsens making up more than half the number, the Night Wolves will use whatever methods to eliminate their target and instill terror upon the hearts of enemies.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: First chapter rewritten.**

 **I don't own anything in relation to VC or any other character, idea and concepts that belong to other series**

Prologue

 **BGM: Valkyria Chronicles-Main theme**

In the year 1935 EC, Two major world powers controlled the continent of Europa. The East was dominated by the Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance, commonly known as The Empire. While in the West, a commonwealth of allied democracies formed the Atlantic Federation, informally known as The Federation. Tensions rose over the precious mineral, ragnite, a resource both powers depended on for their survival and its scarcity inevitably led to war. The struggle for supremacy over the continent that became known as the Second Europan War (EWII) began when the Empire aggressively crossed their western borders and the Federation responded in kind. The Empire using its military superiority, gained early victories and quickly put the Federation on the defensive.

Emboldened by their progress and momentum, the Empire set its sight on the Principality of Gallia, a small neutral nation that borders both the Empire and the Federation and possessed the largest ragnite deposits in all of Europa, a quality far too tempting for the Empire to ignore. Declaring war on Gallia on March 15 1935, the Empire amassed troops along the eastern border and marched its army into Gallian territory. In response, Gallia's policy of universal conscription was put into effect and every able-bodied man and woman is drafted into military service and organized into the militia. The militia, particularly Squad 7 of the Gallian militia's 3rd regiment, along with a detachment whose name and actions remain in the darkness of history, would play a pivotal role in the war against the Empire and gain many victories.

 **BGM: Republic Commando - Vode An (except replace Corusant with Randgriz)**

However when the Empire advances, they bring not only their massive army but also a far more sinister force lead by a unit whose very existence is one of the darkest secrets of the empire, unleashing terror and causing even more destruction and casualties. To combat the threat, a single elite unit of a covert special operations force would be deployed. Handling high-risk operations too delicate for standard units, this unit would complete critical objectives with courage, precision and excellence to ensure victory for the larger Gallian forces. This is the story of Squad 75 and how their actions determined the ultimate outcome of the Gallian Front.

 **Author's note**

 **This is my attempt to write a darker story of Valkyria Chronicles that will feature torture, human experimentation and more violent, gruesome deaths. I always thought that VC was just a simplified kiddy version of world war II and the holocaust, one that does not truly portray the horrors of war. While this fanfic will be much darker than the original game, it will still contain humor and other lighthearted aspects that was present in the game such as the beach scene and Largo's veggie obsession. For this story I will be borrowing things from other franchises and series. The following information are a brief overview of concepts and ideas I have for this story so far. I don't own VC, any of the characters except my OC's, and the ideas and concepts from franchises/series, and etc. and as noted in my profile don't expect skilled writing since this is one of my first fanfics and don't expect regular updates.**

 ** _Ducat_** **:** The Official Currency of Gallia, based on the newspaper cost in VC II (15 ducats), 10 Ducats equals $1.00 in my story

 _ **Galphabet:**_ The most common written form in Gallia (It's from Valkyria Chronicles art book page 283)

 ** _Christianity_** **:** The dominant religion of Western Europa. Has an unfavorable view of Yggdism, regarding it as an idolatrous cult.

 ** _Fossil fuel/Oil_** **:** The primary source of energy for nations that possesses little to no ragnite. While a method for refining oil has been discovered it is ignored by the major nations although some figures see great potential.

 ** _Squad 75_** **:** An ARST team composed primarily of individuals noted for their exceptional skill and the main protagonists of the Fanfic. Named after the 75th ranger regiment

 ** _ARST_** **:** The Advanced Recon Shock Troopers, nicknamed the Night wolves, an autonomous special operations unit whose very existence is unknown to even the majority of the highest echelons of the Gallian government and military. Composed mostly of orphans subject to intense training since childhood with Darcsens making up more than half the total number, the night wolves are the very best of the Gallian military.

 **Taen:** The ancient Darcsen language in this fanfic. Taen is Mando'a from Star wars. The name itself is from The Darcsen People of the Sotian Continent page from the nationstates site.

 **Occasionally I will write a mass effect like index for people, weapons and other significant subjects. Rate and Review**


	2. Unknown menace

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own the Valkyria Chronicles series, just the OC's for my story."**

 _March 1935 unknown location_

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A man shrieked in agony as the cattle prod was pressed against his chest. The man's body convulsed as the electrical current violently coursed throughout his body, charring his flesh.

"How is it Lieutenant Colonel? Judging by your screams I take it it's your first time being shocked with a cattle prod?" A hooded figure inquired.

The Lieutenant Colonel gasped for air, trying to catch his breath, coughing.

"Perhaps the voltage should be decreased, we wouldn't want you pass out like before." He chuckled softly.

Bellville flinched painfully from the shocks he received. In his mind the noble could only ask, _how did it come to this_?

It all began with a report of Imperial forces beginning to advance through central Gallia and lieutenant colonel Douglas Bellville was entrusted with repelling the Imperials by General Damon. General Damon's orders had been simple. Confront the Imperial forces and drive them back. Bellville jumped at the chance to prove himself as a military commander in order to advance himself through the military hierarchy. Victory over the Imperials would earn him favor with General Damon and gain him a promotion.

Leading a company sized force numbering more than 100, it was noon when there was a sighting of a small enemy force across a ravine. Seeing an opportunity to strike first, he ordered most of his men to charge straight through the ravine at the Imperials despite his second in command, Major Scott Bennett's vehement opposition. Bennett claimed that the Imperial force was suspiciously small, that the enemy could be waiting at the top of the ravine to ambush their forces and they should split the company in three groups with two to go around the ravine but Bellville ignored him. To Bellville, it was only natural to attack an enemy on sight especially if your own forces clearly outnumbered the enemy and going through the ravine would have his force reach the enemy in the shortest amount of time. Looking through his binoculars to see the progress of the battle, he realized something was wrong.

When the Imperials were within reach, the Gallian tanks suddenly exploded and soldiers wearing armor different from the Imperials and eerie gas masks suddenly appeared at the top of the ravine on both sides, surrounding the Gallians. It was a massacre; the mysterious soldiers made short work of Bellville's soldiers with concentrated gunfire, raining mortars and grenades, any soldier who attempted to flee from battle were quickly gunned down. To make matters worse, more enemies appeared from both sides of the ravine and slowly started to overwhelm the remaining Gallian Regulars. Bennet yelled at him to order a retreat but Bellville would have none of it and ordered his remaining forces to keep on fighting to the last man. If he didn't turn this battle around then his reputation would be sullied and he wouldn't receive his coveted promotion. It was not until a shell exploded and killed 3 men close to his position and the enemy breaking through their defense that the nobleman changed his mind.

He ran, ran to his jeep, ignoring everything and everyone around him. It was perfectly justified in his mind, if he himself got killed then he would have failed General Damon's expectations and farmhands and commoners can always be drafted into the militia to replenish the numbers lost. However, before he could travel far, the jeep broke down and no matter how much he tried, the jeep wouldn't start leaving him no choice but to leave behind his jeep and run using his legs. Unfortunately for the lieutenant colonel, he was never what one would call fit or active, as a result exhaustion caught up quickly and he was forced to stop to catch his breath while the conflict was still within his range of hearing. Suddenly the unknown enemy emerged from a forest on the horizon and before long they reached his position and had him surrounded, leaving him no choice but to surrender. It was then he had wished that he listened to his second in command.

After surrendering he had been captured and knocked unconscious and the last thing he heard before a soldier knocked him unconscious with a rifle butt to the face was, "Take him back with us."

When he awoke he had been stripped down to his underwear and tied to a bed with his hands handcuffed and his legs shackled in chains with his limbs stretched out in different directions. The room he was in had no windows and the dim lighting of this room did nothing to indicate his current location. For what he assumed to be days, he had been beaten, mutilated, flogged, mocked, abused, tortured and experienced other unspeakable brutality. Throughout it all a mysterious figure whose face was obscured by a deep hood with the dim lighting of this room making it even more difficult to make out any facial features, watched and asked questions. Bellville answered the man's questions, if only to make the pain stop but if the answer did not satisfy the hooded man, the amount of torture would be increased to point until he fell unconscious. The lieutenant colonel was never allowed to die as after every torture session he would receive treatment for his wounds but only the bare minimum to keep him alive.

Today, instead of being tied to a bed, Bellville was hung from the ceiling by his wrists with his toes barely touching the ground. His wrists was sore and chafed from the ropes, with the pain worsening as more time passed. The hooded man himself decided to personally torture Bellville with an electric cattle prod with his subordinates watching.

"I told you everything… _pant_ … _pant…_ why am I still here? Why are you doing this to me!" He managed to croak out despite his drying throat and agonizing pain.

"Do not misunderstand, Lieutenant Colonel." said the man in a calm professional tone with a hint of amusement in his tone. "The exact terms were that you do not get shot in exchange for information. It was never once suggested that you would be freed nor unharmed." He stood silent a short while before resuming to speak, "As for your second question, it's to make you understand your position."

"D-d-d-d-do you think you can get away with treating a noble like this?" Bellville croaked weakly.

Bellville's tormentor laughed at the feeble display of defiance.

"How much time do you think has passed since you practically handed your men over to us in a silver platter? Liarge and Velsen has already fallen and Fouzen and Aslone will soon follow. At this rate, Gallia should fall by late April at the latest, so to answer your question, no I don't think that I will get away with your interrogation because I already have."

Before Bellville could open his mouth, the hooded figure continued to speak.

"Even if by some miracle you are rescued or even manage to escape on your own, what changes in the end? If you were even remotely capable as you believe yourself to be, you wouldn't be here right now. We didn't even need our _special_ fighters to slaughter your forces, although the few that were alive managed to reorganize themselves and put up a decent resistance while trying to retreat, but in the end their efforts merely delayed the inevitable and we captured your second in command, would you like to see him?"

Not even bothering to hear Bellville's reply, a large man wearing a mask brought a metal container, set it on a nearby table and lifted the cover.

It was a decapitated head, beaten and bruised but the lieutenant colonel recognized who it was.

The Lieutenant Colonel vomited.

"You shouldn't vomit, you're already unsightly and fetid as is." He admonished Bellville.

"Major Scott Bennett I believe he was your second-in-command, unlike you he was more...resolved than I gave credit for but I'm a patient man and everybody has their breaking point especially someone who clearly wasn't used to interrogation and pain in general. Unfortunately, my subordinates found his defiance rather irritating and forgot to restrain themselves during the interrogation before getting any useful information out of him."

The man stated in a matter-of-fact tone, similar to how one would give a report.

Trembling, Bellville could only timidly stutter, "Y-y-y-you d-d-demon."

"Indeed I am." he agreed simply. "But a craven with so little loyalty and ability such as yourself is hardly in position to denounce me, when you found yourself in danger you are the one who decided to flee and when captured you almost immediately offered information and your soldiers in exchange for your own life." he added, with a hint of disgust in his voice if one listened closely enough.

"The major was also rather selfless according to the reports, he refused to leave the battle until he confirmed the few remaining men under his command have successfully retreated from battle. It was foolish really, he should have prioritized his own safety more especially since unlike you, he was a talented officer and such individual cannot easily be replaced by fresh recruits."

Bellville looked down at the ground, not daring to look at anyone and did not say anything for a while before fearfully asking, "Just who are you people?"

The hooded man sighed before answering. "You've already asked that question several times and we refused to answer the same amount of times. What makes you think we will answer now?" He paused before continuing. "This idle chatter has gone on long enough, it's time to carry on with your _interrogation_."

He gestured to his subordinate and had him fetch an item. A few seconds later the subordinate handed him a tool.

What the officer saw made his eyes widen in utter horror and gasp harshly. What little color remaining in his face drained completely in a split second. His body shook uncontrollably as he broke into cold sweat.

What he held was a handheld circular saw.

Underneath his hood the figure smiled at the nobleman's reaction.

"Did you know? If a tool, even the most mundane, was used in ways it was not meant to be used it can become far more terrifying than any weapon designed to kill or destroy?"

He then turned on the saw and a high pitched whirring buzz cuts through the tense air, intensifying Bellville's terror.

"N-NO! S-Stay back!" desperately tried to back away despite the harsh chafing around his wrists caused by the rope but to no avail.

The hooded figure ignored his yells and ruthlessly continued towards the terrified officer.

"It's all right to be afraid and to scream, requesting the contrary would be unreasonable."

He spoke as if reassuring a frightened child. He then slowly raised the saw before bringing it down on the hapless officer.

"No! No please! Please no! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

No one answered his screams. There was no mercy, no compassion and no salvation.

 **Author's Note**

 **-And so, the second chapter opens up with a torture scene to make it clear that this is not the rated-T Valkyria Chronicles from the video game.**

 **-Yes this chapter is rather short the reason for that is because this chapter was originally going to be longer but then I decided to split what I had so far because I wanted to end this chapter on a more dramatic note. On the bright side this means the next chapter should be released much quicker...if I don't get distracted and write another fanfic that is, but at the very least I'm confident it will take less than a year to release the next chapter.**

 **-Rate and review!**


	3. Review and Mission Briefing

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own the Valkyria Chronicles series, just the OC's for my story.**

 _Late March 1935_

 _West of Vasel_

Along the east coastline of Gallia's northwestern peninsula was a Darcsen village situated in the middle of a forested cliff. There were no roads leading to the village making it inaccessible by motor vehicle and it's remote location made the village's existence unknown to all but a select few. Owing to its remote location and the absence of roads, the inhabitants had no encounters with hostile, prejudiced groups which made the lifestyle of the inhabitants stable and secure, almost idyllic even, especially in comparison to other Darcsen settlements, but they were not idle or complacent for there was more to the village and the occupants than meets the eye.

In actuality, the village was part of a secret military base and the civilians were in truth, soldiers and operatives working under the director of the Gallian Intelligence Agency. The village served as one of the several entrances to an underground naval facility, designated Special Research Projects Facility Station 003 (SRPF 3). Officially, the SRPF stations and other similar buildings did not exist, had never existed. If one were to ask the majority of Gallian High Command about the bases they would not have understood the question for they were completely ignorant of its existence. Even the highest level of Gallia's government possessed no knowledge of the bases and the director worked hard to make sure it remained that way.

Located at a close distance away was a private underground bunker secluded from the rest of the base. Even amongst the personnel stationed at SRPF 3, the number of individuals who knew of its existence were few and far between. The bunker was one of several scattered throughout numerous locations and like all the others it was accessible only through a secret hidden entrance and the layout consisted of a kitchen, bedroom, emergency escapes, bathrooms and other accommodations. One room resembled an ordinary office with blank white walls, a few pictures and portraits adorning the walls and several shelves stacked with a variety of books, documents, and files neatly organized; it was here the sole occupant oversees the operation of the Gallian Intelligence Agency and relayed orders, often through proxies.

In the middle of the office, sat the Director of the Gallian Intelligence Agency, General David Gatiss. The General was impeccably groomed, not a hair out of place on his head, and yet there were dark circles under his eyes.

General David Gatiss sat at his desk reading over reports from the numerous agents and informants under his command. Gatiss frowned as he read through the reports. He did not like what he read.

 _It's not even the end of March and the Empire has already taken about a quarter of Gallia. I'll most likely end up harming myself if I read any further._

The Director reluctantly continued to read through the reports and as he predicted, the contents only served to worsen his already sour state of mind.

Liarge and Velsen had already fallen with the Imperials gradually getting closer to Fouzen and were beginning to make their way through central Gallia. It all began on March 15 when the Imperial forces led by the quasi-crown prince of the Empire began their incursion into Gallian territory and claimed Ghirlandaio on the same day.

 _Only Damon and his ilk could lose Ghirlandaio and a chunk of Gallia so easily and in such a short amount of time_ Gatiss thought contemptuously.

The thick defensive wall facing the Empire were designed to withstand artillery bombardment, the vast storage of ammunition and food allowed the fortress to be self sufficient, the sheer size and its sensitive location necessitated a large garrison. In addition, enemy forces would be funneled by the narrow ravine all the while being forced to contend with pre-aimed artillery, bunkers, resistance from ramparts and snipers from the two towers. Taking all these factors into consideration, even an inexperienced commander would be hard-pressed to lose the Citadel. At least not without inflicting substantial casualties on the invading force.

To call Georg von Damon a thoroughly incompetent imbecile would have been far too generous. For him to lose the Citadel despite the aforementioned attributes while Imperial casualties were negligible at best, all the insults and pejoratives in the world would not have been enough for Gatiss to fully express his contempt for the man. Even worse, after it was all too clear that the battle was lost beyond salvaging Damon had the pre-war armory vaults reopened to deploy Ragnide gas despite the release of poison into the air being explicitly banned by the continental treaty. When Gatiss first heard how easily Damon lost the citadel and his use of Ragnide gas, he had to exercise every bit of restraint he possessed not to have Damon become a victim of an ambush.

Gatiss did not care about the ethics of deploying Ragnide shells. While chemical and biological weapons were outlawed by the Continental Council's land war treaty, to his knowledge no nation truly followed the so-called laws and customs of war to the letter, least of all the Empire. Besides that, as the Director of the Gallian Intelligence Agency Gatiss took full advantage of his position to conduct espionage, have liabilities terminated and commissioned high-risk top secret projects and operations, majority of which operated without the knowledge or official authorization of Fort Amatriain and Gallia's governing body. What he did care about was the fact the Ragnide shells also paralyzed one of his operatives working undercover in the Regular Army, 2nd lieutenant Kaim Keaton and to add insult to injury it happened just as he was about to kill the enemy CO, a Valkyria, after defeating her in combat. Thankfully, another subordinate whom he sent to Ghirlandaio prior to the invasion, 1st Lieutenant Roa Ivaldi, rescued the 2nd Lieutenant by injecting an antitoxin and successfully escaped together from the Imperial occupied Citadel.

Another grave concern was the highly plausible retaliatory use of chemical and biological weapons by the Imperials. While Gatiss scoffed at the idea that a treaty, ultimately a piece of paper drawn up by parties only prepared to pay mere lip-service, could protect civilians and soldiers from malicious intent, this did not mean that the consequences of flouting the terms of the treaty were light, especially a blatant violation with many witnesses. Consequences were far more severe for the vanquished, even more so if the victor happened to be a superpower led by an emperor known to rule with an iron fist.

Majority of the Gallian army officer corps were aristocrats who attained their positions through family connections and money rather than by skill or merit and many were outright corrupt and possessed little to no knowledge to fight a war much less win one. That by itself would have been bad enough but to make matters worse several other individuals were plotting their own schemes.

 _Borg is wagging his tail to the Federation, Eisler is corresponding with the Imperial Yggdist Cardinal Borgia, and a sizable portion of nobles will more than likely..no..they will unquestionably turn traitor at the drop of a hat if the Imperials continue to gain momentum. Although Eisler's correspondence with Borgia is an opportunity to gain incriminating material on a prominent Yggdist._

Gatiss himself was devoid of any personal faith all his life and never had a high opinion of religion in general, least of all Yggdism, especially taking into account sensitive information regarding the truth of the War of the Valkyrur and dossiers he had on many prominent Yggdists. He had an even lower opinion of fanatics such as Gennaro Borgia. Most of the general public considered Borgia to be a noble and righteous cardinal but in reality, he was a power-hungry zealot who deluded himself into thinking he was a divinely chosen being who can do no wrong. If such a figure was conspiring with Major General Eisler, it could not equate to anything positive and it was Gatiss' duty to take care of any threat to Gallian national security.

However, while Major General Eisler's action were almost certainly treasonous in nature, the director understood why he was working together with a twisted individual such as Borgia. Eisler was one of the few individuals of Gallian High Command who actually earned his rank and like Gatiss, he has always been terribly disappointed with the Gallian Army's inferior combat skills and tactical prowess. His alliance with Borgia was most likely a means to rise through the ranks by using the cardinal's connections and resources and use the Gallian Army in ways that he believed were in the best interests of Gallia. Besides that, Gatiss was well aware that he himself, of all people, was in no position to criticize as he often pushed the boundaries of collecting information and intelligence far beyond what would be considered morally acceptable by many. Of course, that did not mean he was going to let Eisler do as he pleased.

With so many opportunists trying to manipulate the war to further their own self-interest it was clear that steps had to be taken to remedy the situation and that remedy was the Advanced Recon Shock Troopers.

The Advanced Recon Shock Troopers (ARST), also known as "Night Wolves", had its beginnings around two decades ago, close to the end of the first European War, when Gatiss, then a newly promoted major general, proposed a project to create loyal elite soldiers by having war orphans, mostly Darcsens, be raised and taught in the art of warfare and military values from a young age. While perturbed to the idea at first on ethical grounds, but with the endorsement of members of a family with a long special relationship with House Randgriz, the project was approved, albeit reluctantly, by the late Archduke. The orphans were put through intense training complemented by high-level education all the while instilling duty, discipline, courage, professionalism, and absolute loyalty to House Randgriz. Eventually, the first generation of trainees would graduate to form the first Advanced Recon Shock Troopers with their numbers rising ever since. The results were an astounding success, their capabilities well beyond Gatiss' expectations. Even if he were to search far and wide, the general was certain that he would not find a more exemplary unit of soldiers. The Night Wolves were a new superior breed of soldiers who can be called upon to perform a variety of tasks that the average soldier couldn't handle.

 _Yes, this invasion is a chance to eradicate unneeded elements._ Mused Gatiss. With the power and influence that came with his rank and position in addition to his connections, having certain individuals "removed" was trivially easy, but great care had to be taken not to turn them into martyrs. Once the undesirable elements were taken care of then the Gallian military can be reformed into a new superior _worthy_ entity.

He was suddenly interrupted from his thought when the director's intercom system on the right side of his desk buzzed "General Gatiss, Colonel Kalista Ivaldi has arrived." A voice announced over the intercom.

 _Right on time,_ he thought. Without taking his eyes off the report, he reached out and pressed the intercom button. "Send her in." Gatiss ordered through his intercom.

A while later, the office door opened and in entered Colonel Kalista Ivaldi. She was a tall stunningly beautiful twenty-four year old Darcsen woman who possessed a slender but well-built muscular frame with the unmistakable Darcsen blue-black hair worn in a ponytail and piercing blue-gray eyes. In stark contrast to the Darcsen stereotypes of meekness, pessimism and passiveness she possessed a powerful commanding presence with a clear air of authority and power. Her attire was a typical ARST field uniform, consisting of the unit's dark blue trousers tucked into a pair of black military boots, a blue-black coat with red piping in addition to shoulder boards with a cloth insert revealing her rank and unit insignia underneath, a black belt with a black buckle and military pouches fastening the coat around her waist. On her right hip was a holster holding a Radom pistol while on the left side of her waist she had strapped to her belt two swords of Darcsen design and construction tucked into a pair of black scabbards. One of the most noticeable features or rather lack of features on the ARST uniform was the absence of the red and white lines modeled after the stripes of the national flag of Gallia along with the absence of medals and embellishments common amongst nobles holding positions of command.

Medals and ornaments had no place on the uniform. The General and the Colonel scorned commendations for actions that was fully expected of soldiers and utterly contemptuous of undeserved credit and praise. The absence of embellishments and accessories on the uniform gave the young Darcsen Colonel a modest appearance compared to the needlessly elaborate ornate uniforms worn by some of the officers and Generals of the Gallian Regular Army which often merely served to highlight their vanity and incompetence; Damon being the worst offender with his unearned medals and especially his ridiculous feather decoration atop his peaked cap. While modest, the luster of the uniform combined with her stature gave off a professional appearance that highlighted skill, discipline and experience befitting of the one considered to be "Gallia's strongest soldier" for those who knew of her existence and capability.

Her background was a peculiar one, not least because of her high rank and surname despite her young age and Darcscen heritage. She was born as the eldest child and heiress of the Ivaldi family, a mysterious family of Darcsens who has faithfully served House Randgriz as spies, saboteurs, confidants and assassins from the shadows for many generations and on a more recent note, one of the main driving force behind the formation of the ARST and an indispensable presence to the agency. The resources and information at the family's disposal was almost limitless. The family also commanded their own paramilitary organization whose total capabilities were more than a match for large armies several times its size. Historically, rulers have feared and resented any entities that possessed power and influence that could challenge their own authority, even going as far as to incriminate the party on trumped-up charges out of paranoia, regardless whether or not it was justified. The fact House Randgriz allowed the Ivaldi family's reach and influence to grow virtually unchecked and independently run their organization as they saw fit was a testament to the deep trust and bond between the two families and next in line to carry on the Ivaldi family legacy was Colonel Kalista Ivaldi.

Receiving extensive hellish training and the highest education, even as a young child Kalista displayed prodigious talents far beyond her years. Hailed as a prodigy and praised as the best of her generation, Kalista joined the Advanced Recon Shock Troopers after graduating from the ARST training program at the age of twelve with the highest marks, becoming the youngest to become a member of the Night Wolves. A natural leader and soldier with exceptional physical and combat skills, she quickly rose through the ranks as she successfully completed her missions of clandestine nature in quick succession, eventually being promoted to the rank of Colonel and Gatiss' XO within the ARST.

She snapped a sharp salute.

"Colonel Kalista Ivaldi reporting for duty, sir." She announced.

Putting down his report on his desk, General Gatiss rose from his armchair and acknowledged the Colonel. He returned the salute.

"Welcome Colonel, I presume you have been well?"

"I have. I celebrated my son's 2nd birthday with my family and close friends." Kalista responded with a small smile as she recalled the happy memory. "My husband sent a letter congratulating on his birthday along with presents for the occasion."

"Did he now?" Gatiss replied with mild interest. "Such an act would have been inconceivable in the past."

Recalling her first meeting with the male who would eventually become her husband, she couldn't help but give a light chuckle.

"Indeed." She then glanced at her superior's face and took note of the dark circles under his eyes. "I see you have been forced to work far too hard."

Gatiss inwardly sighed. "Ever since the invasion, I had to work behind the scenes to mitigate the damage caused by the actions of incompetent officers along with taking care of other problems."

"That is unfortunate."

"Yes." Gatiss agreed. "but for now we will focus on the matter at hand." He gestured her towards a chair facing the desk. "Have a seat, Colonel. We have much to discuss."

Doing as told, she sat at the chair opposite to the general and crossed her hands in her laps.

"First, a review of Ghirlandaio," the General he said, all trace of cordiality was now replaced by professional no-nonsense countenance and tone and his face darkened.

"On March 15th Ghirlandaio fell to the 205th Panzer division, an inevitable result with Damon in command. He abandoned a piece of the outer wall as soon as the citadel walls was breached and in his eagerness to reclaim the enemy camp he spread his defenses too thin which allowed the Imperials to capture the base camp."

Gatiss laid a photograph on his desk for Kalista to see.

"This was responsible for breaching the citadel walls, from its appearance it seems that a ragna-cannon was added as the main gun to a existing vehicle designed to siege castles and fortresses and reports reveal that the radiators remain hidden until after the main gun fires, according to enemy chatter it's called the Batomys."

Looking at the photograph, Kalista saw a massive assault gun that the uninformed would misidentify as a tank. The size of the Batomys dwarfed the light Imperial tanks, to say nothing of Imperial soldiers beside it. While the range-cannon was a threat, Kalista quickly surmised possible impracticalities that overshadowed the threat it posed.

"Who but the Imperials would actually think of constructing armored vehicle of such size." Kalista commented dryly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"I also can't fathom why anyone would produce something like the Batomys considering how often the faults of such things tend to outweigh its usefulness, especially in the long-term." Gatiss agreed. "Ultimately, the Empire's obsession with armor and large caliber weapons often at the expense of practicality and reliability is a self-inflicted weakness to exploit, one where many should express their gratitude."

Gatiss remained quiet for a short period of time before continuing with a dark serious expression. "After the battle was lost, Damon deployed Ragnide shells in a foolish short-sighted attempt to turn a lost battle and protect his reputation, which paralyzed 2nd Lieutenant Keaton while engaging the enemy CO in combat." The director said in venomous disgust. "Thankfully, your brother injected an antitoxin in him and both successfully escaped together."

There was an almost immediate change in the atmosphere, caused by the Colonel. When Kalista first read the report of the battle at Ghirlandaio, her desire to put Damon through every horrendous excruciating fate greatly increased, a sentiment shared by her younger brother and her comrades. She didn't even think it was possible to hate Damon even more and yet the battle at Ghirlandaio proved her wrong. To make matters worse the truth was swept under the proverbial rug due to Damon's connections with Damon's official report stating that the Imperial army being responsible for the use of the poisonous gas. Having been reminded of Damon's action at Ghirlandaio caused dark feelings to flare up inside to the point it manifested outside.

Her face remained impassive but her eyes darkened menacingly and her body exuded a deadly aura almost intense enough to be tangible, the faint of heart and the weak-willed would have been overwhelmed by such a sight and would have to be carried to a medical room, as has happened in the past. If Gatiss felt any sort of apprehension he did not show it as he watched his subordinate with the serious indecipherable stoicism he had honed and refined through many experiences in his life. Such a sight served as another reminder to the director how foolish it was to make an enemy out of the Colonel, let alone her entire family; being enemies with all the nobles of Europa would have been far less perilous in comparison and Georg von Damon just made an enemy out of Kalista Ivaldi.

"For the unforgivable sin of almost losing my subordinate, I will do everything in my power to ensure his end is excruciating and undignified as possible and his reputation permanently tarnished beyond salvation." Kalista finally spoke after a period of silence. Her tone had such weight and coldness that even the air in the room seemed to have been affected and it left no room for doubt that Damon would eventually meet an unpleasant fate.

Gatiss cleared his throat "Unfortunately, getting rid of him too soon will only make him a martyr, but rest assured I too will make sure Damon meets his end in this war with absolutely no hope his reputation and image being salvaged."

Her superior's assurance calmed Kalista considerably and Gatiss was able to continue his review of the loss of the citadel.

"On a more positive note, the loss of Ghirlandaio has been somewhat mitigated by the fact that our undercover agents stationed there destroyed anything that the Imperials could have used as much as possible. Documents have been copied in secret over the years and kept in a safe location, the most Maximilian's army will find are scraps of burnt paper and scant remains of intact ammunition and food and finally, 2nd lieutenant Keaton's and lieutenant Ivaldi's report confirmed that the Imperials have a Valkyria in their ranks, who happens to be the enemy CO Keaton fought."

Gatiss momentarily took the time to pause before continuing. "If the worst comes to pass, not only will Gallia have to contend with the Imperials but also a crusade by fanatics."

Kalista remained poised without the slightest change in expression. An ordinary person would have panicked at the idea of an enemy having a member of a race possessing superhuman abilities amongst their forces let alone having to face the Valkyria in combat but not the young Darcsen Colonel.

"I see. " Colonel Kalista replied simply. "Then the Night Wolves will terminate the Valkyria and if need be, I will personally step in the battlefield to extinguish the azure flames and execute anyone who would dare forget where their loyalty and allegiance lie."

A small, amused smile quirked about the Director's mouth. "For you to personally confront an enemy would be excessive."

Kalista's lips quirked into a smile. "You flatter me."

"Not at all, Colonel. Flattery implies exaggeration or even falsehood. My statement was the truth."

Kalista inclined her head slightly while still smiling. "Then I accept the tribute as given."

The general then continued.

"The 101st Panzer division captured the town of Bruhl, the late Belgen Gunther's hometown on May 20th, his son Welkin Gunther and adopted daughter Isara Gunther, the biological daughter of the late Professor Theimer aided in defending the town long enough for civilians to evacuate by engaging the Imperials with the prototype Edelweiss tank and the siblings along with what remained of the town watch."

A small town located at the eastern edge of Gallia bordering on Imperial lands, Bruhl had its beginning as a small settlement founded by a Royal Guard soldier and his followers who revolted against the king of Gallia back when Gallia was still ruled by a monarchy. The rebels fled the capital city and established a settlement that would serve as a hideout from pursuers; the settlement eventually flourished into a town several times the size of the original settlement. Now a small bordertown with a population of just under 8000, Bruhl also known as "Miller's Home" for it's iconic large "Sister's Mills" an old guard tower at the center of the town converted into a windmill with dual set of sails, as well as the numerous smaller windmills dotted atop the crests of the many of the region's rolling hills, became famed for its active and effective town watch; a legacy of the lifestyle of the original founders in addition to the town's close proximity to the Imperial border. The people of Bruhl took pride in defending their home personally but no town watch was trained or equipped to confront a hostile military force consisting of tanks and soldiers with intent to kill.

"I am a bit curious as to why the Imperials came through Bruhl, the town itself possess little strategic value aside from its close proximity to the border."

"Perhaps they decided to capture Bruhl for symbolic purposes? Boasting about the capture of the Hero of Gallia's hometown would make good propaganda."

Gatiss pondered his XO's conjecture before continuing.

"Whatever their purpose was in capturing Bruhl, it is irrelevant to us, what is important is that Belgen Gunther's children successfully escaped with the prototype Edelweiss tank."

"It would have been inconvenient had the Imperials captured the Edelweiss. It would be beneficial to have people like them in the militia." Kalista said. "No soldier should be honored for doing what is expected, however, Welkin and Isara Gunther confronted a hostile enemy despite being civilians with minimal training, credit has to be given where it's due. As the son and daughter of the Hero of Gallia, they will be perfect for raising morale if they gain several victories under their belt." Kalista explained.

Gatiss nodded in agreement. "Indeed, however we shouldn't place any expectations on him yet, it will ensure that nobody will feel any disappointment should he prove to be inadequate in the future...although I'm certain that even if he is lacking in talent he will outperform many in the regular army..." Gatiss added with displeasure in his voice.

Kalista nodded.

"According to retreating units and refugees from the northeast along with my sources, the 205th Panzer division was heading towards the Naggiar Plains to join forces with the 101st from the east and continue their advance to Randgriz but in a truly unexpected twist, a small unit led by a recent Lanseal graduate, 2nd lieutenant Kurt Irving, managed to force a larger Imperial vanguard to retreat, making his unit the first to defeat the Imperials."

"I heard of that victory. The Imperial units who crossed the eastern border have become more cautious lately, halting their advance and delaying their forces joining at Naggiar. 2nd lieutenant Kurt Irving was born in Randgriz city, his family runs a general store that sells variety of items for little profit. As a result of his upbringing Kurt Irving learned to make effective use of what he had on hand and developed a dislike for objects luxurious or gratuitous in nature, traits that would serve him well in the military. After graduating from Randgriz High School at the top of his class he enrolled in Lanseal Royal Military Academy with a full scholarship and became a top student by studying and training judiciously. He was both respected and despised in both regular school and the military academy for his single-minded pursuit in bettering himself without ever showing interest in others. He graduated shortly before the Imperial incursion not only at the top of his class, but with one of two highest grades ever recorded in history. Coincidently, the one other graduate to achieve the highest grade happens to be right in front of me." Kalista said looking at her superior.

Gatiss gave a faint smile. "Quite the interest you have, considering the research into his background."

"My duties aside, anyone aware of the _quality_ of the Regular army would be surprised to hear of a victory, even more so if victory was achieved against a far larger enemy force with barely any casualties. Anyone would want to more information on the matter." she answered matter-of-factly.

Gatiss couldn't help but huff in amusement, "While it is reassuring to know that at least one person knows what he is doing but that's exactly the problem, he is just single man. The number of glory-seeking fools are far too many and can potentially make any hard earned victories irrelevant. Which brings us to the next issue," Gatiss said pointedly. "External enemies aside, internal problems must also be dealt with."

While the Colonel knew what was about to be said, she decided to humor him and let her superior continue without interruption. While Kalista felt it unbefitting of her and inwardly chided herself, she couldn't help but feel some anticipation of what the General was about to say.

"A fool who persists in his error is far worse than any enemy. Gallia always had a history of nepotism and corruption but it wasn't until 2 years ago when Borg became appointed as regent that Gallia's military became twisted into the hideous, unsightly existence that we see today."

Kalista's eyes, laden with animosity and hatred, narrowed slightly. The mere mention of Maurits von Borg never failed to make dark feelings well up in Kalista or anyone in her family for that matter.

"In battle, officers of noble birth repeatedly perform worse than my lowest expectations while the politicians are far more interested in what they can gain, this invasion is a chance to begin the purging of eyesores and hindrances."

While the Colonel's face did not display any outward expression of emotions, her eyes shone with a flicker of anticipation in her eyes, a trait that the general did not fail to notice.

 _Finally, a chance to sweep away the worthless parasites surrounding Cordelia._

While taking care of troublemakers and other nuisances was nothing new to the Darcsen female, it was usually limited to discreet, low-profile entities whose _disappearance_ would go largely unnoticed by the general public, with the agency's and her family's influence over the media further ensuring obscurity. The day there was no longer any need to put up with their presence was long overdue.

"Now, for your mission briefing." Gatiss said changing the subject.

He handed her a file.

Accepting the file, Kalista opened the file and in it revealed photographs, maps, and comprehensive, analytical, and detailed intelligence reports.

"A company sized force part of the 14th Panzer division is heading for Aslone." Gatiss continued. "Aslone serves as the most important location in the capital city's defense perimeter. Your mission is to intercept the force and drive them away from Aslone, keeping the enemy away from the city will halt and delay the advance of the enemy encroaching on central Gallia."

"The 14th Panzer division, a famous elite division said to be collection of the Empire's best." Kalista said.

Gatiss nodded in confirmation. "Scouts have been keeping track of their movements and actions. Taking into account the enemy's size, marching speed, and destination it is estimated that they will pass through this mountain forest route to reach Aslone. The scouts are continuing to keep track of the enemy's movements and will keep you updated."

His gaze fixed on his subordinate. "Colonel Kalista Ivaldi, you are hereby authorized to use whatever methods and resources you deem necessary to ensure the successful completion of missions and the termination of external and internal enemies."

"I will be sure to be frugal."

"Assemble Squad 75 and gather necessary equipments and extra soldiers you deem fit and proceed to the designated coordinates."

"Sir!" Colonel Kalista saluted and walked away from Gatiss taking the file with her but before she reached the door she turned her head. "You should get some sleep, sir."

"I will keep that in mind."

As she exited the room the general observed, on the wide collar flap at her back, the motto of the Night Wolves, written in Taen: 'Duty with courage, precision and excellence'.

 **Author's Note**

 **-Longest chapter I've ever written so far. It will probably be awhile until I update the next chapter.**

 **-In this Fanfiction the Gallian Intelligence Agency is based on ONI of Halo with General Gatiss sharing traits with people such as Mycroft Holmes from Sherlock (The general's surname coming from co-creator of the series and Mycroft Holmes' actor), Major Zero or David Oh from Metal Gear series (The general's first name coming from him), Margaret Parangosky from Halo, and the Illusive man from Mass effect.**

 **-Colonel Kalista Ivaldi will share traits with Balalaika from Black Lagoon, Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong from FMA, female Commander Shepard from Mass effect, and the boss from Metal Gear. In terms of physical appearance, think of Kriemhild from Valvrave the Liberator with the Darcsen hair color and eyes except Kalista is taller, has a larger bust size than Selvaria by a few centimeters, has a shorter ponytail instead of braids, doesn't wear earrings, and doesn't have the large lock of hair running through her forehead.**

 **-PM me if you have any questions and I'll answer as best as I can.**

 **-Rate and review!**


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